


Teacher, Teacher, Can You Teach Me?

by TennantsLittleKitten



Series: The "Changes" Verse [5]
Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: F/M, Fluff, SVU 17x15, SVU 17x16, helping Sonny study for the bar, takes place between
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-07
Updated: 2020-05-07
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:27:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,046
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24051334
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TennantsLittleKitten/pseuds/TennantsLittleKitten
Summary: You help Sonny study for the bar. That's it. That's the fic.
Relationships: Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr./Reader, Dominick "Sonny" Carisi Jr./You
Series: The "Changes" Verse [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1657336
Comments: 2
Kudos: 18





	Teacher, Teacher, Can You Teach Me?

**Author's Note:**

> Takes place between SVU 17x15 "Collateral Damages" and SVU 17x16 "Star-Struck Victims".  
> Bar info in the end notes :)  
> Hope you enjoy!

"I don't wanna!" pouts Sonny as he lays sprawled out across his couch. His long legs drape over the edge and a hand lies over-top his full belly. The two of you just finished wolfing down a "luxurious" take-out lunch for two.  
  
"But you gotta!" you scold from the opposite end of the sofa. "The exam starts tomorrow morning bright and early and this is your last chance to study beforehand."  
  
His response is a mere grumbly whine paired with a face contorted in protest.  
  
"Come on," you coax tapping Sonny's leg, encouraging him to get up.  
  
"No," he closes his eyes and turns his head away like a toddler.  
  
" _Dominick Carisi_. You _need_ to study! You haven't trudged through night school while working doubles to not give it one last push now." You fold your arms together and stare him down.  
  
Sonny shakes his head defiantly.  
  
"Okay, then. I'll leave." You shift as if you're about to get up.  
  
"Yourra meany!" he groans.  
  
"Bye," you state, continuing to fake standing up. You hope it calls his bluff.  
  
Sonny shoots forward. "Noo! Don't leave me! I'll study! I'll study!"  
  
You smile victoriously. "C'mon then, my future-lawyer boyfriend. I'll help you." Waving him over coaxes Sonny to follow as you cross the apartment towards his kitchen.  
  
Like any student without a designated desk space, the dining room table is littered with law books and papers. Sonny rolls up the sleeves of his grey henley and you both sit down to delve in. "Can ya quiz me on somma this stuff?" he asks, handing you his handwritten notes and the list of bar exam topics.  
  
Accepting the papers, you begin with the first term highlighted. Sonny stumbles out an answer, ending it with an inflection. Clearly, he's unsure of himself.  
  
You read out the correct response which causes Sonny to dip his head in defeat. "Hey, now," you comfort. "Don't get discouraged." Then an idea strikes you. "How about this?" You hand him back his work, resulting in a quizzical look from your boyfriend. "Here. Use your notes if you want, but go through everything you've learned using me as your student. Teach me!" you smile warmly and fold your hands on the table in front of you.  
  
Sonny cocks his head, purses his lips and narrows his eyes in contemplation. "Alright," he says eagerly, accepting your challenge.  
  
You listen intently and even ask questions to get Sonny to clarify what he's explaining to you. The study session goes on for hours and the two of you tick off the exam topics one by one. While your head does spin from all the legal jargon, you suck it up to keep Sonny’s momentum going. He's expressive and engaged, proudly walking you through the material and bringing together all the knowledge he's acquired from his classes.  
  
It's late evening by the time Sonny's “lecture” is over. "Well, I'm pooped," he says reaching for a glass of water to soothe his dry throat. "You must be exhausted too, doll."  
  
"It's all good," you tap his arm. "I hope it was useful for you."  
  
"We'll see tomorrow," he winks. "That'll be the _real_ moment of truth…" But Sonny isn't brimming with the confidence you're used to seeing from him.  
  
"Sonny," you utter, "you just have to do your best. That's all anyone can expect from you and that's all you can expect from _yourself_." You rest a hand on his arm and rub soothingly over his exposed skin. He peers at you with nervous eyes. "And if you don't pass this time around, you take it again." Sonny nods in understanding. "This is your dream and I know you won't quit until you succeed." You then lean in and press your lips to his, hoping to convey just how much faith you have in him. He pulls you into a hug and squeezes. _He knows_.  
  
That night the two of you snuggle closely under Sonny's covers. A combined total of six alarms wait to guarantee Sonny’s timely arrival.  
  
-x-  
  
"You gotta call me once today's sessions are over," you tell him the next morning before you both leave.  
  
"It could end up bein’ late, though," he counters, wringing his hands nervously.  
  
"Doesn't matter," you assure him. You lean in to give him a kiss goodbye before wishing him good luck.  
  
That night you get a call and on the other end a tired-sounding Sonny tells you that he thinks he did okay. The day after that you get a similar call. "It's over! I'm done!" he cheers. "I'm so relieved! I think it went well, but that's upta the state now."  
  
"I think you did just great!" you remark happily. That exuberant spirit has returned to Sonny’s voice and you couldn’t be more thrilled.  
  
"Say, all that brain powa has made me hungry. You up for some dinner?"  
  
"When have you known me to say no to food?" you tease.  
  
Sonny laughs. "Good point! Y'know, I kinda skipped out on Valentine's day 'cause a work, and takeout the other day was hardly a substitute."  
  
Though a fancy Valentine's day was by no means essential to you, a dinner out with Sonny is never something you would refuse. The two of you meet at a restaurant and the moment you see Sonny, you leap into his arms to shower him in praises. He catches you with a surprised look before nuzzling his nose into the crook of your neck, holding you close. Does it make a bit of a scene? Maybe, but you couldn't care less.  
  
"I had the best teacher," he says setting you down and giving you an affectionate nudge.  
  
"Woah, wait a minute! Don't forget that _you_ were the one that taught me!" you counter, cleverly.  
  
Sonny chuckles. "Whateva, you're still the one to suggest studyin' that way and then sit there ‘n listen to me yap on. I appreciate it."  
  
"Anytime, Sonny," you say, heart swelling proudly. "Anytime."  
  
Two months later you would have more celebrating to do. Sonny's hard work and dedication, something you admire so deeply about him, would finally pay off. You would get to share in his excitement when he comes home to tell you that he passed the New York State bar exam.

**Author's Note:**

> Fun Facts about the NY State Bar Exam:
> 
> The exam is always given on the last Tuesday/Wednesday of each year. For 2016 that would have been Feb 23rd/24th.
> 
> However, according to SVU Sonny takes his exam a week before the day he talks to Barba about it. (So, Feb 16th/17th – a TV goof.)
> 
> The bar exam is a two-day affair with Day 1 being 3hrs in the morning (2 performance tests) and 3hrs in the afternoon (6 essay questions). Day 2 is divided up into the same time slots, but with 100 mcq in the morning and another 100 in the afternoon.
> 
> Morning sessions are 9:30-12:30 and afternoon sessions are 2:00-5:00.
> 
> Also according to SVU, Sonny finds out he passed the bar on April 15th 2016. Usually they are posted at the end of April or early May. But once again, Sonny is lucky and gets the results early too!
> 
> The next installment should be about "Sheltered Outcasts" :)


End file.
